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Preparing for fall, launching a key search

MIT President Sally Kornbluth

Dear members of the MIT community,

I’m taking some time this summer to step back, reflect and relax – and I hope you can too.

But I’m also getting ready for the fall. These preparations include strategic adjustments in senior leadership responsibilities and the creation of some new roles, so that we’ll have in place the team and structure to advance the priorities I began to sketch in my inaugural remarks. In the coming weeks, Provost Cindy Barnhart and I will share more about these changes.

National search: vice president for equity and inclusion

For now, I write to let you know about a new search, spurred by the recent departure of Institute Community and Equity Officer John Dozier. Because the health of our community depends on our ability to come together to face challenges around inclusion, belonging and free expression, Cindy and I have concluded that the person who leads us in this important work will need to be part of the senior team, reporting directly to me.

We have therefore launched a national search for a vice president for equity and inclusion.

The search committee, named below, has already gotten started, with leadership from Institute Professor Paula Hammond ’84, PhD ’93, who recently agreed to take on a new role as vice provost for faculty, and Aaron Weinberger, my chief of staff.

Cindy and I shared with the search committee the community input we received when we announced John’s departure. The committee welcomes additional input on the skills and qualities the role requires, as well as the names of potential candidates. You may submit a confidential email to the committee at vp-ei@mit.edu.

With warm wishes for summer rest and high hopes for the fall,

Sally Kornbluth
President

 

Search committee for vice president for equity and inclusion

Ayo Arowosola, PhD ’21, Postdoctoral Associate, Materials Research Lab

Shannon Cardillo, Senior Administrative Assistant, Music and Theater Arts

Enoch Ellis ’26, Undergraduate Student, Chemical Engineering

Malick Ghachem, Professor and Section Head, History

Paula Hammond ’84, PhD ’93 (co-chair), Institute Professor and Department Head, Chemical Engineering

Catherine Kim, Assistant Dean for Human Resources and Administration, School of Engineering

Sara Kim, Technical Associate II, Biology

Kayla Storme, Graduate Student, Chemistry

Aaron Weinberger (co-chair), Chief of Staff, Office of the President